About AV Costar

New Company. Same Great Products.

Arecont Vision Costar, LLC is a US-based company founded in 2018 to offer complete video surveillance solutions to customers around the world. AV Costar’s headquarters, R&D, and support operations are in Glendale, California in the Greater Los Angeles metro area. Our manufacturing is nearby in Duarte, California, while our Advanced Technology Center is located in the city of Clovis, in California’s Central Valley region. Sales offices are located throughout the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East.

In July, 2018, the original Arecont Vision, LLC was acquired by Costar, a US corporation that designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes a full range of proven products for the video surveillance and machine vision markets. The executive leadership, most employees, and all of Arecont Vision’s technology, trademarks, and patents are now part of the new AV Costar. Manufacturing, sales, support, and all other functions continue as before, serving our customers around the world.

Locations

Corporate Headquarters

Located in downtown Glendale, CA, the AV Costar Corporate Headquarters and Collaboration Center houses many of the company’s accounting, inside sales, marketing, R&D, and support team members.

AV Costar

Advanced Technology Center

The Advanced Technology Center, located in downtown Clovis, CA, is a shared location for all Costar Technologies brands. It also serves as an extension to AV Costar product development, operations, sales, and support.

The 2018 launch of the AV Costar Total Video Solution represented a major new strategy for our business, culminating in the birth of our new company itself, AV Costar. With the announcement of the Total Video Solution we also introduced our newest brand name, Contera.

Contera is an anagram of Arecont, a reflection of AV Costar’s new way of thinking. We are focused on building on the knowledge and experience of the original company to produce something even better for our customers. Contera is a portfolio of software and hardware families that combine with the proven MegaIP™ brand of megapixel cameras to together form the Total Video Solution.

Our ConteraIP series of megapixel single- and multi-sensor IP network cameras are designed to AV Costar’s demanding standards and specifications to deliver world-class quality and powerful capabilities. Each ConteraIP camera is based on advanced System on a Chip (SoC) technology. All models feature Enhanced WDR™, NightView™, IR illumination or Smart IR, and other industry-standard features and capabilities.

MegaIP megapixel cameras are designed and manufactured in the USA around our in-house-developed Massively Parallel Image Processing (MPIP) architecture, which runs on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) integrated circuit at the camera’s core. The unique architecture is now in its 5th generation, delivering both outstanding cybersecurity protection and unmatched upgradability to extend the useful life of our cameras. MegaIP offers the surveillance industry’s most complete range of single-, dual-, and multi-sensor cameras.

AV Costar ConteraWS® web services allows you to centralize user management, monitor the health of your recording system, and take advantage of time saving features like online export and video or clip file sharing. The connection through the cloud allows the user to access thier surveillance network from anywhere, uniting the AV Costar Total Video Solution.

AV Costar ConteraVMS Video Management Software features a thin client accessible through ConteraWS® Web Services, as well as a thick client for desktop computer use. ConteraMobile® App for iPhone and Android allow the user to access their camera network from anywhere. Powerful playback and tools give the user forensic-level control of their surveillance environment.

ArecontVision ConteraCMR® Cloud Managed servers are designed to offer maximum performance and reliability, paired with the powerful features and functionality of the ConteraWS® web services platform and ConteraVMS® video management software. WIth Solid State Drives (SSD) running Windows and Linux OS, Dual NIC, and models with up to 80TB of storage, ConteraCMR network video recorders provide strong performance with centralized user management, single sign-on convenience through cloud services.

Made in the USA

We are committed to quality products, with the most advanced features and capabilities for our customers. Most AV Costar products are designed and manufactured in the United States. A subset of our products are designed in the US but assembled elsewhere.

Those same AV Costar products are also compliant with the “Presidential Executive Order on Buy American and Hire American” for manufactured goods (click to view online at whitehouse.gov), as signed on April 18, 2017.

Contact AV Costar for more information on product and accessory compliance.

American-Made Quality & Design

For customers in the United States, if you are++ planning video surveillance camera purchases, please select your designed and built in the USA choice, AV Costar. AV Costar offers the widest range of Made in USA megapixel cameras with our Mega series, as well as with our software options and many of our NVR/server platforms.

Customers both inside the United States and around the world can trust AV Costar for award-winning products and customer service proven worldwide for true Made in USA quality and innovation.

Continued Industry Leadership

AV Costar continues our legacy of designing the best, most advanced, and highest reliability megapixel video products in the industry. Our list of industry firsts demonstrates this ongoing commitment, unmatched by any other vendor.

We began our R&D efforts in 2003, manufacturing in California the industry’s first two-megapixel IP network camera by 2004. Just two years later we released the industry’s first multi-sensor camera, and we still lead this segment with advanced capabilities and in sheer number of model choices. Our remote-setup SurroundVideo® Omni G3 released in 2017 is an example of our continued leadership, as is our latest offering – the feature packed, high performance ConteraIP™ multi-sensor camera unveiled in 2018.

Learn more about our leadership, products, and technology by visiting our Products page.

Industry Recognition

At AV Costar, we strive to be the best at everything we create, as we look for new ways to drive the video surveillance industry forward. We’re extremely grateful to have been awarded so many times for our industry leadership, technology, products, support, and our people.

Superior Solutions Through Partnership & Integration

AV Costar has always been committed to partnership with the industry’s leading software and hardware vendors, a commitment that the new AV Costar continues to follow.

We are also committed to ONVIF compliance for integration with 3rd party products, and we provide a free developer’s API through our Technology Partner Program to gain access to our most advanced features.

For integration beyond ONVIF, our MegaLab™ can be used to test new products and updates, in conjunction with our Technical Assistance Center customer support team.

Product Quality & Support

AV Costar remained a leader in the introduction of new, leading-edge technologies and products throughout the company’s history. While the company made commitments to product quality and after-installation support, those leading-edge products sometimes still made things challenging for our end user customers and our authorized security dealers and integrators.

It’s an entirely new world now with the launch of AV Costar. Our executive leadership and the entire company are committed to ensuring customer satisfaction, and in continuing to invest additional resources into our Quality Assurance, Inside Sales and Technical Assistance Center customer support teams and processes.

We’ve made big improvements through investment in new systems including our new Customer Support Portal powered by Zendesk and overhauling our practices and procedures. We've enhanced our back office systems for increased efficiency with the implementation of NetSuite ERP and added an updated Partner Portal. AV Costar also completely overhauled our Global Supply Chain and Manufacturing processes, including opening a new manufacturing facility in Los Angeles County in the city of Duarte and adding our Advanced Technology Center in Clovis, CA. And we're making continued investments in our people, through training and the addition of more technical support and development team members and resources company-wide.

Learn more about the Technical Assistance Center.

What Our Customers Say

Megapixel Imaging... Worth a Thousand Words

AV Costar has delivered over 3.5 trillion pixels from our cameras sold around the world since our journey began in 2003. We hold over a dozen patents for our industry-leading technology, which helps account for the many industry firsts we continue to deliver.

With the price point, I’ll be installing a lot more of the Contera EX (analytics) cameras in the future.

-Don Olson, Owner, Audio Innovations, Fresno, CA

We conducted a vigorous study of AV Costar and other suppliers. We found [their] backend delivery and logistics in complying with our requirements to be far superior than others. Furthermore, we received references from other local businesses such as other Marriott hotels and Al Nabooda Automobiles for their Audi and Porsche showrooms and service centers.

With the valet service, customers will come in and claim that marks on their vehicle weren’t there when they arrived, and quite honestly, they may believe that’s true. With the cameras, we’re able to look at the video and say with confidence whether the mark was there when he or she arrived at the hotel.

I have had to hold some pictures for the Chicago Police Department, and they cannot believe how good the [video from the] cameras looks.I’m very, very happy with the product.

-Jim Bayci, 7-11 Franchisee, Chicago, IL

I had a large school project with about 500 cameras in the beginning of 2019, and two cameras failed shortly after setup. I was really happy that without a fuss, AV Costar stepped up and gave us a bunch of spare cameras.They said ‘If you have this issue again, go get one & hang it up and see what’s going on.’ That made the customer and I feel really good.

-Don Olson, Owner, Audio Innovations, Fresno, CA

One of the things that has been of benefit to me is in the way of product offerings, with the new RS series of cameras, particularly the SurroundVideo Omni G3’s. Being able to aim and focus those multi-element cameras remotely has reduced installation time and allows me to make adjustments to field of view remotely without having to go on-site. Anything that reduces ‘ladder time’ impacts my business in a good way.

The overall feedback we received from our reference checks was that the [AV Costar cameras] are highly reliable, stable, and with high quality, and that product support and service was very superior.Those are all things we required for the hotel.

Simplified installation features such as remote focus, along with advanced features such as true WDR (wide dynamic range) were key factors in the decision.Additionally, the SurroundVideo camera series’ cost effectiveness and coverage capabilities placed them ahead of its competitors for the job.

-Mike Bales, COO, WW Communications, Mankato, MN

If we’re going to build a new surveillance system, we need to make sure that if we have an incident, we can actually see who was involved.We wanted an innately high-quality, flexible solution, and we got it with [AV Costar].

They are small and nearly invisible to anyone who doesn’t know what they’re looking for. The fact that they have such a small footprint makes them ideal for us in the ticketing and front entrance areas.

We certainly didn't want to give people the feeling that they're being watched throughout the hotel.We really like how the low profile of the cameras and the multi-sensor capabilities enabled us to use just one camera opposed to four separate ones.

-Kevin Miller, Corporate Director of Security for the Davenport Collection of Properties

I’ve got a downtown urban location with a lot of windows in it. I was looking to upgrade the system to get better resolution on the cameras.The Contera system has just been a marvel as far as the color quality and the resolution that I’m able to get.

-Jim Bayci, 7-11 Franchisee, Chicago, IL

The new AV Costar doesn’t play the ‘blame game’ when you contact them. When you need an RMA, you tell them what’s going on and the response has been ‘OK, we’ll take care of it.'It seems like whoever I talk to they’re saying ‘Let’s get this taken care of right now.’ It’s not a 3 phone call or 3-email kind of thing.

-Don Olson, Owner, Audio Innovations, Fresno, CA.

The school district was so pleased with [AV Costar] products that they are now looking to put additions to the surveillance systems on most of the campuses. We are very satisfied with everything we have received from them.

- Nick Melnyk, of Ficek Electric and Communication Systems, Inc.

The customer and our company are very satisfied and very happy with the quality of the equipment. For this project, installation went very smoothly. They provided superior image quality and a user-friendly interface.

- Nick Melnyk, of Ficek Electric and Communication Systems, Inc.

We were sure to go back to [AV Costar] during this process. We have had a good working relationship with them for the past five years, and they enable us to use less cameras while still maintaining full view of inspection areas.

The SurroundVideo Omni cameras are some of our favorites because we are getting four cameras in one. They have the most flexibility. Our blind spots are much more limited, and we don’t need to use nearly as many cameras as we previously had in those areas.

-Kevin Wright, Security Manager, Monterey Bay Aquarium, CA

What’s really nice is we can actually view the cameras from several different locations in real-time or in playback These cameras help reduce our on-floor manpower and increase our effectiveness because there can be one person on the floor and another person who is watching the cameras, who can cover 10 times more area than one person can on foot.

We had a burst pipe in the lobby during construction, and the cameras were able to help us identify the exact source and timeline of the leak due to the quality and clarity of the video. We had another incident where a delivery truck struck one of our pylons. The camera was able to very clearly catch the damage and identify even very minor details of the number plate and driver in order to file the necessary loss prevention complaint. We were very satisfied with the outcome that the cameras were able to deliver.

No other camera manufacturer could compete with the price and performance of the Omni series. As a result, no other surveillance camera manufacturers were recommended by Digicom, Inc. or would be able to so effectively cover the 15 acres of new and used vehicle display, public access, and vehicle service areas at the new Dahl Auto Plaza.

- Russ Neitzke, Digicom, Inc.

Every other day we use the cameras to investigate criminal or worker concerns. We go back and monitor them for possible safety issues on the ramps, for passenger interaction, and for worker interactions. Anytime someone expresses a concern to me, they can come in and we can watch the footage together. I try to make sure that the option to view footage is fairly transparent, which has proved very useful to everyone.

A variety of factors led to the use of [AV Costar], not least of which was the commitment and quality they provide as an American-based manufacturer. They are one of the few vendors who design and build cameras in the U.S., and their cameras’ features and reliability reflect that.

-Mike Bales, COO, WW Communications, Mankato, MN

Absolutely awesome quality picture. Very easy to install product and to program it.

- Steve Ortiz, Hamilton Safe and Security Systems

I approached the rep for his cameras for a very specific purpose. I had a construction site, and I needed a camera that could capture the construction process seamlessly and clearly. Other vendors were quoting me exorbitant prices with over-spec’d cameras.

- Aditya K. Rajaram, Managing Director, Radar DWC LLC, UAE

Basically, the coverage that you get with the SurroundVideo Omni is really like buying four cameras in one. Being able to effectively cover Dahl’s range of campus requirements with fewer cameras and lower purchase, installation, and operational costs meant that the company has hit all the required marks for this project.

- Russ Neitzke, Digicom, Inc.

As a distributor, using [the company] allows me to provide the highest quality cameras to my systems integrators at extremely competitive prices. Their direct salespeople as well as the people from their rep firms are extremely responsive and always willing to go the extra mile to help me. I consider them to be one of my few true business partners in the marketplace.

- Laura Garest, WESCO

Our business is surveillance on a national basis. Our systems need to work flawlessly. We are always confident that we are providing our clients dependable, top of the line equipment when selling and or installing these products.

- George Murphy, US Security Services Group

The staff are the best, I cannot give enough praise to the sales team, they are the best. Your customer service is head and shoulders above your completion. They are prepared to work with you on price and products to get a project. [AV Costar] is the easiest camera manufacture to deal with largely due to our rep Becky. The lady doesn't sleep! They are able to make miracles happen to get orders half away across the globe in a few days. I'm always excited when one of my customers wants them because I know the product is support and there's genuine people behind the product to support it.

- John Van Ommen, Hills, Australia

They clearly listened to my needs and provided me with an extremely cost-effective camera that produced a superior quality continuous image that everyone in the construction site from the project management team to the contracting team were very excited to view and capture on a daily basis. I found this to be very helpful because the camera provide me with exactly what I needed without the unnecessary frills. I am very satisfied with the product and the service.

- Aditya K. Rajaram, Managing Director, Radar DWC LLC, UAE

Have used the panoramic products for over 5-6 years now and they are extremely stable and great image quality.

- Steve Lane

While I’m not sure how the company is in other states, I can assure you here in Texas you have the best support team as well as your rep. It’s like going into battle with a secret weapon!!

- Rick Matoy, Turnkey Integrators

Our customer service experience to date has been very positive, and just as high quality as the cameras that the company makes.

- Andrew Ross, Account Executive, UCIT Online Security Inc., Canada

The improvement in the quality and performance of our video surveillance system with the megapixel cameras is incredible. The 360 degree views have made a tremendous difference in providing a safer and more secure campus.

- Bill Weber, Assistant Chief of Police, Butler University

It isn’t everyday that I will, and can, write a thank you email like this, but your product and the support I have received from you, [sales rep name removed], and the rest of the [AV Costar] crew is really unmatched in the industry.

- Geva Barash, Security Systems Design

We’ve been very impressed with the quality of the video provided by the cameras, which is a significant upgrade over the previous system.

Their stability and ease of use further contribute to our overall satisfaction with this new system.

The imaging of the camera was so great it caught a theft and identified the [rental] truck license plate and the identity of the suspect.

- Vince Lopez, Branch Manager, Walters Wholesale

They is our first, second, and third choice at General Security Services Corporation. The continual product development, integrated features, and design support from the company allows GSSC to be more resourceful.

From the ability to efficiently design and propose the sale to effectively installing the cameras allows GSSC to streamline our workflow, increase our margins, and provide exceptional video quality for our customers.

The losses we were experiencing certainly outweigh the cost of the new cameras. Besides insurance deductibles, we were having a lot of problems with break–ins where people were having wallets and other belongings stolen from their cars.

- Alan Ehnes, Director of Golf, Ft. Washington Golf and Country Club

I have been using the outdoor 360 and 180 [degree SurroundVideo panoramic cameras] for over two years, and I find that they are one of the leading products in image quality, reliability, and ability to use for many applications. I have been using the cameras for schools, military bases, police departments, and many more, and they are all extremely happy with the results.

I also wanted to comment on your technical crew that have been available for help when it was needed. They have been doing a great job, and thank you for your support.

- Geva Barash, Security Systems Design

I have been using [the company's] megapixel cameras for the past two years. These cameras perform great, and allow me to secure my Stadium with crystal clear high resolution video.

In the six years that I have worked with them, I’ve consistently seen the value in recommending their panoramic cameras to my customers.

We chose their megapixel cameras because of their functionality, intelligence, efficiency, and for the excellent picture quality they provide. There is no hesitation in recommending [AV Costar] to other companies when they visit our facility.

[The company's] customer service team has always been responsive and helpful when we’ve contacted them, and have worked quickly to resolve issues to our satisfaction.

These cameras offer superior wide area coverage with high resolution versus single sensor cameras. And because they require only one network connection and less infrastructure, they can dramatically reduce total cost of ownership.

I have had the opportunity to work with various camera manufacturers over the years, the product is what I recommend because of quality, features, and customer service.

The SurroundVideo Omni series camera is one of the most versatile products on the market today and works with all major Video Management software while retaining the features and functions of the camera.

- Darrell Heiser, Sales and Engineering Director, Key-Rite Security

Ease of installation, compatibility with our current VMS, and the new features [including] Wide Dynamic Range. Our experience has been great. Our organization requires high levels of security and with [the] updates to firmware we can maintain our internal network security policies.

Out of my 14 years experience in this field it is obvious that [the company is] leading the market in terms of providing state of the art technology: 1st in using CMOS imager, high megapixel cameras at high frame rates, 20MP panoramic cameras, best image quality, best video compression, best 3rd party VMS customization, best distribution channel, best after sales service, best logistics, [and] durable made in USA quality.

We were immediately impressed with the video quality and clarity [the] cameras provide. When we saw a demonstration of their low-light performance, network-friendly bitrates, and other features, we knew they would be the best choice for our new surveillance system.

- Alex Puente, Director of Technology for Flour Bluff Independent School District

I have also had the opportunity to perform camera demonstrations for customers looking to add a panoramic camera to their property. While performing these side-by-side comparisons, [the company] vs competitors, customers see the difference in features, functions, and most importantly picture quality.

- Darrell Heiser, Sales and Engineering Director, Key-Rite Security

Multiple cameras can be costly. At Gateway, we have found by using the SurroundVideo cameras we can reduce camera counts, in many cases increase video quality, and give better coverage. All with 1 multi-sensor camera. By using 1 camera we also reduce the number of PoE ports, data cables, and installation labor.

All of these factors can lead to a cost savings when competing with multiple comparable cameras, not to mention 1 camera looks better than 4.

- Scott Sellers, Sales and Project Manager, Gateway Wireless

We have to date protected more than 50% of our buildings with [AV Costar], and add more every year. They have greatly enhanced the safety and security of our students, staff, and visitors here at Goddard Public Schools – USD #265.

- Ronny Lieurance, Police Chief, Goddard Public Schools

The district decided to use these cameras because of their quality and price. The district is very pleased with the decision to use [AV Costar] cameras.

- Tim Schmitt, Sioux City Community School District

Having a complete field of view 100 percent of the time allowed Mission CISD to go back and have an important digital zoom capability for investigation needs.

With one [AV Costar] camera, Mission CISD can now cover the same area as six or seven analog cameras.

The resolution of the video is so high that you can easily see all the details that you need to help resolve disputes or handle situations, both live and after the fact.

- Jaime Escobedo, President and CEO of American Surveillance Company Inc.

Our customer service experience to date has been very positive, and just as high quality as the cameras that the company makes.

- Andrew Ross, Account Executive, UCIT Online Security Inc., Canada

[AV Costar] build quality products at a great value. We’ve had no problems in deploying their solutions – they work as advertised!

- Joe Keller, Vice President of IT, SVS Vision

The service provided by [the company] throughout the project was also outstanding. We were also able to provide a video of an alleged thief to the police and our tasting room manager finds them enormously helpful for monitoring traffic and workflow through our wine tasting room.

- Roger Rosenblum, Rock Wall Wine Company

We have recently installed [AV Costar] megapixel cameras throughout our facilities and the results have been outstanding. Between the ability to view large areas with their panoramic technology, and the clarity of the megapixel video, we have been able to solve a number of issues and improve our processes.

Most wonderful – product with high performance compared to price.

One thing? Market leader and technology pioneering. Why do I buy? Quality of the product. My experience? Very good.

- Soren Christensen, Director, IT-SERVE.COM, Dubai

I was introduced to the company over five years ago and their cameras have become the main workhorse in our CCTV system of over 1,300.

The [SurroundVideo] 180 cameras have proven time and again that PTZ’s are a thing of the past and the new OMNI’s have given us a new appreciation for [their] continued superiority in the CCTV field.

- James McCarthy, Director, Physical Security, University Police Department, George Mason University

The company is my go-to source for my K-12 markets. The versatility in the multi-sensor cameras allows me to give my customers more camera views with less installation, licenses and support. This lets the customer receive more for their money and in the education market value is key.

- Soren Christensen, Director, IT-SERVE.COM, Dubai

Great product, innovative, and great support. We have been using them for the last 4 years. We trust the products and the distributor who is well supported. Moreover, price is more attractive than [competitor name removed], which we had been promoting.

Company Leadership

Scott Switzer

President & Chief Executive Officer, Costar Technologies, Inc.

Scott Switzer

Scott Switzer was appointed Interim President and Chief Executive Officer by the Board of Directors of Costar Technologies, Inc. in April of 2020. Mr. Switzer previously served as Chief Operating Officer beginning in 2018, while retaining his earlier responsibilities as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the company, to which he was first named in 2011. Beginning his career with the company in 2001, Mr. Switzer became controller in 2008 after previously holding the same assignment for Costar Video Systems, LLC. Prior to joining the company, he served as a consultant with Accenture. Mr. Switzer holds a BBA from the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University.

Shane Compton

Shane Compton

Shane Compton was appointed to the dual roles of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer of Costar Technologies, Inc. in May of 2020. Mr. Compton first joined the company as Chief Engineering Officer in September 2018, adding the additional duties as General Manager of subsidiary Arecont Vision Costar, LLC in January of 2019. Prior to joining Costar, Mr. Compton rose through the leadership ranks of Pelco (later Pelco by Schneider Electric) in a career stretching over 16 years, including assignments in software engineering, project management, both engineering management and director roles, as Vice President of Engineering, and concluding as CTO / Vice President of Advanced Technology & Engineering.

Sarah Ryder

Chief Financial Officer, Costar Technologies, Inc.

Sarah Ryder

Sarah Ryder was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Costar Technologies, Inc. in May 2020 after previously serving as the Corporate Controller beginning in September of 2015. Ms. Ryder's prior career includes operational and financial experience gained as Risk and Advisory Services Manager at CBIZ where she was responsible for managing client relationships, overseeing staff performance, defining & delivering business solutions, and providing both Sarbanes-Oxley assistance and Internal Audit outsourcing solutions. Ms. Ryder previously served as Senior Internal Auditor for Cricket Communications and earlier as Audit & Consulting Supervisor for McGladrey. She is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a BS, Accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

David deLisser

Vice President, Product Management, Costar Technologies, Inc.

David deLisser

David deLisser joined Costar Technologies, Inc. as Vice President, Product Management in April 2020. Mr. deLisser brings over 23 years of experience at Pelco, including roles in product strategy, product management, technical sales & marketing, business development, and integration, most recently as Director of Global Sales Operations.

Kyle Parker

Vice President of Sales, AV Costar

Kyle Parker

Kyle Parker is Vice President Americas Sales for AV Costar, responsible for the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and both Central and South America. Mr. Parker joined the company in 2013 as Regional Sales Director – North Central. After several years of sales growth while in this role, he was promoted to regional vice president in 2016 to manage the sales team for 24 US states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 3 northern territories.

Mr. Parker came to AV Costar after over 17 years as a manufacturer’s representative for Keith Parker and Associates, and had previous positions in the video, cyber security, and financial industries. He holds a Master’s of Science in Marketing from Northwestern University.

Brad Donaldson

Vice President of Product Development, AV Costar

Brad Donaldson

Brad Donaldson is the Vice President of Product Development for AV Costar. Mr. Donaldson provides strategic leadership for all AV Costar product management, quality assurance, engineering, and software development. Since joining the company, he has brought to market several industry leading products including the SurroundVideo Omni series, the industry’s first completely configurable multi-sensor megapixel camera series, the MicroDome® series, the industry’s smallest and most powerful reduced-size footprint megapixel camera family, and several other important product line additions. Most recently, Mr. Donaldson has overseen the introduction of AV Costar’s new Contera® Total Solution line or products, including a Video Management Software package with Cloud Managed Recorders and a complete line of cutting edge megapixel cameras.

Mr. Donaldson joined AV Costar in 2012. Prior to AV Costar, his career took him from the United States Navy to engineering management positions within GE Security, and on to other high-level technology management roles. Mr. Donaldson holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University.

Jeff Whitney

Vice President, Marketing, Costar Technologies, Inc.

Jeff Whitney

Jeff Whitney was appointed Vice President, Marketing for Costar Technologies, Inc. in May 2020. Mr. Whitney previously served as Vice President of Marketing for subsidiary Arecont Vision Costar, LLC beginning in 2018 and earlier for Arecont Vision, LLC from 2014. His prior career included similar Vice President duties for Astute Networks, Intransa, Inc., and MaXXan Systems, Inc., plus channel sales and marketing roles at NetApp following the acquisition of Spinnaker Networks. Mr. Whitney served over 10 years in progressively more responsible duties within the U.S. operations of Fujitsu Ltd., culminating as Chief Strategist & Vice President of Business Development for the launch of business unit Fujitsu Technology Solutions, Inc. and later concluding as Vice President of Marketing Operations.

Troy Fairchild

Vice President of Technical Marketing & Quality, Costar Technologies

Troy Fairchild

Mr. Troy Fairchild joined the Costar Technologies, Inc. group of companies in February 2019 as Vice President of Technical Services. He leads company’s pre- and post-sales technical support teams.

Prior to joining Costar, Mr. Fairchild rose through the development and support ranks of Pelco (later Pelco by Schneider Electric) in a successful career over a period of 16 years. Beginning in 2002, his responsibilities included assignments as a software engineer, where he served on the original design team that created the first digital video surveillance system (Endura). He was promoted to Software Engineer Team Leader in 2005, then served as Senior Engineering Manager in 2008. Mr. Fairchild moved to the role of Director of International Product Support in 2014, and in his final assignment as Director of Global Technical Services in 2016 through 2018.

Mr. Fairchild earlier served at Development Manager for Vision One Inc., and as a Software Developer for Terrace Consulting.

Mr. Fairchild is based out of the Costar Technologies, Inc. Clovis, California office, in AV Costar’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC). He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Administration degree from California State University Fresno and is currently completing an MBA program.

Ernie Duran

Vice President of Global Supply Chain, Costar Technologies

Ernie Duran

Mr. Ernie Duran joined the Costar Technologies, Inc. group of companies in March of 2019 as Vice President of Global Supply Chain. He leads AV Costar’s manufacturing, operations, purchasing, supplier relationships, warehousing, and shipping/receiving teams.

Prior to this assignment, Mr. Duran served as a consultant to Costar Technologies, and was a key member of the AV Costar team which orchestrated the shutdown, packing, movement, & re-establishment of the manufacturing, warehouse, and shipping/receiving functions from Glendale to Duarte, California. The new combined manufacturing and warehousing facilities were brought on line without interruption of customer shipments.

Mr. Duran most recently served as consultant and owner of E.I.S. Experience in Solutions, which delivered engineering team overflow services. He previously served as Purchasing Operational Manager and earlier as Supply Base Development Manager for Pelco by Schneider Electric.